Convince me to get a lumia 930 and WP8.1

[cjono]

Hi guys,

So i am a long time iOS user and have been thinking about trying WP8.1

I had a lumia 920 last year but sold it due to how heavy, chunky it was and the lack of apps + issues with the OS not being on par with iOS.

One year later i have done my reading on WP8.1. Now i am happy with iOS 7/8 but i enjoy trying things.

Does the 930/WP8.1 meet my below criteria:

-Slim and light device in a 4.7-5" display
-Inter app interaction, eg iOS 8 you can edit photos using instagram filters without leaving the photos app. Does WP8.1 offer this level of interactivity?
-Actionable notifications
-Lock screen actions as above (reply to message/email)

Now i know the app "gap" still exists as i can't find replacements or apps for the below:

-Google Maps (Here maps are not good enough in Australia in my use)
-Youtube
-Google Drive/Dropbox
-Flipboard
-Tweetbot (best twitter app iOS)
-iMessage style chat built into messaging app?
-Mailbox
-Chrome
-Forza soccer scores app
-Sonos app/bose app for control
-expedia
-trip advisor
-Uber
-VSCO Cam
-Fantastical Calendar app

Thoughts?

 

[RaRa85]

Sounds like you would be more comfortable sticking with iOS but for the Windows Phone supporter/enthusiast or even someone new to smartphones, the Lumia 930 is absolutely a great device. The camera is amazing. WP8.1 rocks. I wouldn't say the 930 is all that slim but it feels great in the hand. The screen is amazingly gorgeous. But don't take my word for it, go to the store and see for yourself.

 

[andrew_dotdot]

Hi. I'd also say stay with IOS for you. I also had a 920, and even that phone with 8.1 is a huge step forward for it. The 930 hardware takes it that much further. Cortana under 8.1 is great. A lot better than Siri, from a head-to-head-to-head trial me and a buddy did with Siri, Cortana and Google. And better at some things than Google's assistant.
Sent from my RM-821_eu_sweden_235 using Tapatalk

 

[cjono]

Cheers guys,

For me there are still the following issues with WP that i can't yet move over too

-Slim and thin device
-Apps (this is still a problem)
-3rd party accessories (iOS absolutley kills this from cases to docks etc)
-Store level support (nothing beats the Apple store for help/issues etc)

At this stage until MSFT gets the above right i have to stick to iOS.

 

[Aniket Mhatre]

Why should we convince you for purchasing a cell? You said you like to try new things then just go and try it why you need to be convinced for just trying a device!
Sent from Lumia 925 India using tapatalk

 

[RaRa85]

Cheers guys,

For me there are still the following issues with WP that i can't yet move over too

-Slim and thin device
-Apps (this is still a problem)
-3rd party accessories (iOS absolutley kills this from cases to docks etc)
-Store level support (nothing beats the Apple store for help/issues etc)

At this stage until MSFT gets the above right i have to stick to iOS.

Just get the next iPhone. Easy.

 

[DarthMengon]

Here are the answers (from my opinion of course):

-Slim and light device in a 4.7-5" Display YES
-Inter app interaction, eg iOS 8 you can edit photos using instagram filters without leaving the photos app. Does WP8.1 offer this level of interactivity? Partially
-Actionable notifications NO, at least not yet
-Lock screen actions as above (reply to message/email) NO, at least not yet

Now i know the app "gap" still exists as i can't find replacements or apps for the below:

-Google Maps (Here maps are not good enough in Australia in my use) Not official, but there are better Google Maps apps than the original, try searching for Google Maps on windowsphone.com
-Youtube Official is a web wrapper with a bit of integration, but there are better apps than the original, try searching for MetroTube and myTube on windowsphone.com
-Google Drive/Dropbox Not official, but there are good apps , try searching for CloudSix on windowsphone.com
-Flipboard Not yet, but ist announced (unfortunetely very Long now). but there are alternatives like Weave
-Tweetbot (best twitter app iOS) No, but there are other good apps like Tweet It! and Medoh on windowsphone.com
-iMessage style chat built into messaging app? Not the same of course, but its very good
-Mailbox dont know what this is ?
-Chrome No, but IE11 is real good. If the Features are not enough try searching for UC Browser, Maxthon and Surfy on WindowsPhone.com
-Forza soccer scores app dont know this, but there are plenty of Soccer related apps like Goal.com
-Sonos app/bose app for control Not yet, but i think its announced (not quite sure about this)
-Expedia Yes, but until yet its a bad web wrapper app...
-trip advisor Yes
-Uber Not officiel, but there is a good 3rd part app
-VSCO Cam Not yet, but they are thinking about this right now. Might come faster than we thought.
-Fantastical Calendar app Dont know this, but there are plenty calendar apps like chronos or week view 8

Hope this helps you

 

[cjono]

Thanks for that!

The other thing i read about the 930 is with shooting at 20mp i heard you cannot upload or send the full resolution photos??

I use a mac, but i can and do upload the full resolution of all photos taken with my iPhone 5s

Can you not do this on the 930?

 

[Timbre70]

Stick to iphone. None can beat it as far as integration is concerned though it's boring.

 

[wjlim3]

You can upload full res photos with iphone 5s probably because the file size between that and the 20mp pictures with 930 will be very different. But I am curious to know the answer, can you upload full res photos with 930?

To me, Here Drive in Australia is much better than Google Maps on iPhone. I don't think there are offline maps for iPhone in Google maps and that alone is a big plus for Here Drive. Here Drive is also constantly getting updated and works really well and very fast on my 920.

For me, what it comes down to is really apps. If you really need those apps and can't live with the substitute solution, then you will be better off with iPhone or Android.

Otherwise, WP camera and navigation wins.

Other things like mailbox, messaging, bla bla bla are all small features that you win some, you lose some (for example, WP has NFC, double tap to wake (surprisingly I use it very often), wireless charging bla bla bla but doesn't have other small bits and pieces that others have)

That's why I think I have decided to stick with WP for now rather than switching. I like how it gets updated all the time, and new features are being pushed constantly (sometimes good sometimes bad though ) but it's progressing pretty fast compared to Android or iPhone. Makes you realise that WP will only get much better due to the commitment from Windows to fight it out.

 

[wjlim3]

BTW, i am in rural victoria and I have noticed that Here Maps has been updated to reflect the road changes in the past few updates.

If you like to try new stuff, i would highly recommend giving 930 a go, especially if you are somewhat tech savvy (which I think you are). It's a really new way of doing things compared to Android/iPhone. New, not in a bad way.

And as far as integration goes, I am pretty sure when universal apps are made popular (and perhaps when RT merges with WP) it will improve. In fact, even without those apps, it is already an improved experience. Example: Currently i can easily access my desktop favourite webpages from my phone in IE. My point is, Microsoft is striving towards integrating their platform experience so I don't think you will be very disappointed at lack of progress in this area.



In essence:
For me, the really big attraction was navigation, camera, and smooth OS that is fresh and gets updated a lot.
The main downside was apps but it really has picked up pace to be honest.

 

[thatuxguy]

Stick with iPhone, its quite clear you are not ready to move from that eco-system.

I myself was in the same boat, i wanted to move away from iPhone (5s) as it was boring and never really changed. The improvements made are very minimal.

I moved to Lumia 930 and could not be happier. The screen is fantastic, the apps i need are there or there are equivalents. The camera is completely different to iPhone's! The iPhone i have noticed adds a warming yellow tint to pictures, the Lumia 930 creates much more realistic colours. If you like these colours you could use the filters.

Also in relation to the camera, it is far more advanced than iOS. New features coming in iOS8 include a timer, and brightness adjustment. On WP 8.1 you can control shutter speed, exposure and more! I am still playing with the settings and getting used to it, but all good so far!

As for WP8.1 i like it, yeah there is a slight learning curve coming from the Apple devices but once you get used to the uniqueness that is WP you come to enjoy the platform more and more!

Finally on to your points...
Slim and thin device, an iPhone may be slimmer but it does not mean its better just from what i have found.

Apps (this is still a problem), i thought that too, i monitored what i actually did on my phone and was surprised i didn't use half the apps lol and WP had the apps i used the most.

3rd party accessories (iOS absolutely kills this from cases to docks etc), now you say this BUT... as things go more towards micro USB and Bluetooth LE, Apples licence fees to use lightening will throttle the propriety solution. And seeing as Android is now the biggest mobile OS around WP can take advantage of those accessories too. Case wise WP devices are a lot more sturdy that iPhones, i mean making a device with a back made of glass?! looks nice yeah, but its not particle! Yeah i know the iPhone 6 should be metal still it will have just as many issues as all mobile devices.

Store level support (nothing beats the Apple store for help/issues etc), now this i do agree with Apples support is way better than any other company i have dealt with. And the stores are great for support too. Hopefully if more people support Microsoft instead of putting them down, and assuming they are the same as "old microsoft" i am sure they would roll out more stores globally.


Any how, hope that helps a little. As a fellow/ex Apple user i can understand where you are coming from. I refuse to give up my Apple TV as that is possibly my most used bit of Apple kit. And i still ave an iPad for those apps i want, but even my iPad has been replaced with a Surface pretty much. But my main mobile device is now my Lumia 930 and i would not go back!

 

[stogdan]

Based on your needs I'd say stick to your iPhone for now. I think its great that you are considering Lumia 930 with WP8.1 as a possible successor to your current phone. But I do not want to misguide you and as a result make you buy an expensive phone that you are unhappy with.

If you have the patience for it why not wait it out a bit? See what comes from the Apple camp in a few months and also at the same time monitor Microsoft's progress on their end. WP8.1 update 1 is already in the works, and other devices will come as well. In addition to this 1st party app support is getting better and better by a weekly basis.